European cycle trips for independent adults. Eleven countries: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Luxemburg. Over 100 departures from 4 - 36 nights, May through October. Great people, beautiful biking, fantastic regional cuisine... twice the fun and half the price of everyone else! There is no better way to see the world than by bicycle.

Ours is a program of cycle voyages for individualistic, curious, adventurous adults, young in fact or young at heart. The pace of a bike trip is ideal for exploration and impromptu discovery. And cycling helps you fend off the thousands of pounds you would otherwise gain eating yourself silly every night.

Our guests are atypical of the world that travels by bike. Not youth hostelers or campers, not your boss on a $500-a-day "adventure" which ends each day at the local Ritz. We travel as Europeans: modestly, weighing the value of our purchases; but comfortably, seeking out the special experiences that make the trip. And we are curious. We don't shield ourselves from European cultures: we seek them out.

Questions and Answers
M08060 is a program of cycle trips for individualistic, curious, adventurous adults, young in fact or young at heart.

1. How long has the business been operating and how did it start?

M08060 was founded in 1986 by a bunch of grad students who otherwise would have had to find real jobs. Our idea was to appeal to a fun, relaxed, intellectually curious crowd: people we wanted to travel with! The trips were conceived with that group in mind.

2. What is your company's mission?

We create our own website (it shows, right?). But at least you don’t pay for expensive marketing to people who don’t go on trips. If you go, you’ll find the funds you gave us used for your trip!
We don’t sink a fortune in hotels, ’cause you don’t spend much time in them. We focus on the meals, the bikes, researching our routes and the towns and villages where we spend our evenings… the important things! And we shop well. Our travel is independent and flexible. You aren’t bungied to our idea; we help you live your own. Our trips are small, generally 10 to 15, so it’s easy to be autonomous.
Yet we liberate you from the hassles of solo travel: finding a room at night, getting on the right train, figuring out the best bike routes to follow or the most interesting villages to visit. We offer plenty of adventure, but not of the bed bug or big truck variety.

3. What does your company specialize in?

Road Bike Touring and European Rail Travel.

4. Who is the founder or owner of the company and briefly describe his/her past activities?

Nicolas grew up in Greenwich Village, New York, son of a wine journalist and sometime cookbook editor. He acquired an undergraduate degree in Economics, and then an MBA from Wharton with a specialty in Transportation Management, before abandoning civil society for the world of cycle travel. His current role at M08060 is logistics manager (he meshes the trips and the trains), and CFO (he refuses funding for the latest wacko/visionary idea from one of the others, so don't hold your breath on Ethan's "Sri Lanka Biking" project). He also leads trips: about 2 month's worth each year.
In his spare time, he volunteers for the local pre-school PTA and cooks a mean lapin à la moutarde.

5. What is your most popular travel package and why?

It varies from year to year but the combination 2 week of trip of Lavender and Olive is a continual favorite.

6. What is the best compliment you received from a client?

From a client on Burgundy Biking: I was totally impressed by the routes – how well the lengths/ difficulties were timed, as well as the clarity of the route sheet. TERRIFIC.

THIS COMPANY WAS TERRIFIC - I rank them a "10" in all possible categories!

2

Jean Stehle

Verified User Review

Thought the trip coordinator could have spent more time with the bikers during the tour to give them more accurate directions. The directions sometimes were over specific and sometimes vagues on howto get to the destinations each evening. Trip coordinator was very knowledgeable about history, food, culture,
... view more etc. and was an asset to the Blue Marble company.

3

Monique Squires

Verified User Review

The company and experience were excellent... they responded to all my questions in a timely fashion... and also accommodated my needs according to my plans and requirements. I would not hesitate to recommend them to friends and family and would even consider using them again in the future, if the opportunity
... view more should arise. The overall trip experience and assistance provided would be rated as a resounding 10 for excellence.